Pasta al Fumé

Ingredients

• 400 g short pasta
• 200/300 g pancetta
• 1.5 onions
• 2 dried chili
• 1.5-2 cups tomato sauce
• 200 g swiss cheese
• 1-2 tbsp heavy cream

Cut the pancetta into 2 x 4 x .4 cm cuboids. Put the pancetta in a skillet with a little bit of oil. Slowly warm up the skillet to medium heat. Cut the onions to a thin julienne. Once the pancetta is just sightly crunchy on the outside (still soft inside!), if so inclined, discard some of the fat. Add the onions, and cook on medium high heat until the onions are caramelized (once almost caramelized, you can deglaze with a bit of beer and let that evaporate). Add the chilis after crushing themes. Add the tomato sauce, simmer for 5 minutes. Chop the cheese into a small dice, add it to the sauce. Drop the pasta into a pot of boiling salted water. Continue mixing the sauce. Two minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the cream to the sauce. One minute before the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the sauce. Cook in the sauce on medium low heat for the remaining minute.

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This is a recipe from my grandmother.

—Matteo, who at some point was Carlo’s roommate

Bonus

What’s the most religious cheese?

Swiss, because it’s holy.

Section author: Carlo